Closer Than This...(vsoo)

41.

Jisoo chuckled, shaking her head. "Someone has to keep everything in order, Roseanne."

Roseanne patted the seat beside her insistently. "You've earned a break. Sit down and spill. I don't get to see you enough as it is."

With a small laugh, Jisoo relented, sitting down beside her. She grabbed a bottle of water and took a sip, feeling the tension ease from her shoulders. Roseanne, however, was already watching her with a curious glint in her eye.

"You know," Roseanne started, leaning in slightly, "I've been meaning to ask... How's married life with my brother? He's not making things too difficult, is he?"

Jisoo raised an eyebrow, amused. "That's an interesting way to start a conversation."

Roseanne shrugged dramatically. "What can I say? I am direct. Besides, Taehyung's always been this cold, untouchable figure. I am dying to know if marriage has melt that iceberg."

Jisoo laughed softly, shaking her head. "He's... different."

"Different how?" Roseanne pressed, her grin widening. "Is he secretly a softie? Does he cook breakfast in the mornings? Oh, wait-don't tell me he sings in the shower."

Jisoo's cheeks flushed at the playful interrogation. "He's definitely not singing in the shower, but he's... surprising."

Roseanne tilted her head, intrigued. "Surprising good or surprising bad?"

"Good," Jisoo admitted, a small smile playing on her lips. "When we got married, I didn't expect much. It was all so sudden and purely... strategic. But over time, I started seeing a different side of him. He's not as cold as he pretends to be. He's thoughtful, caring, and... surprisingly romantic."

Roseanne gasped, clutching her chest theatrically. "Romantic? My brother? This is groundbreaking news. Tell me more."

Jisoo hesitated, glancing down at her hands. "It's not just about the little gestures. It's the way he looks at me, the way he listens when I talk, even when it's about things he doesn't care about. He's changed. And... I think I've changed too."

Roseanne's teasing demeanor softened. "You sound happy," she said gently. "Like, genuinely happy."

Jisoo nodded slowly, her gaze distant as she thought about Taehyung. "I didn't think I'd ever feel this way about him or anyone, really. But he's made me see a future I never considered before. We've started talking about things... about us, about what we want."

Roseanne reached out, placing a hand on Jisoo's arm. "You've done something no one else could, Jisoo. You've brought out a side of Taehyung that I honestly didn't think existed. And trust me, that's no small feat."

Jisoo laughed softly, her cheeks warming. "I don't know if it's all me."

"It is," Roseanne insisted. "I've known Taehyung my whole life. He's always been closed off, like he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. But with you, it's different. He smiles more. He looks... lighter."

Jisoo's heart fluttered at the thought. "It hasn't been easy, though. He has his walls, and sometimes, it feels like I'll never fully get through to him. But I want to try. I want to be there for him, no matter what."

Roseanne smiled warmly. "You're exactly what he needs, Jisoo. And from the sound of it, he's exactly what you need too."

Their conversation was interrupted by a crew member calling Roseanne back to the set, but as she stood, she gave Jisoo a wink. "Don't let him off too easy, though. A little mystery keeps things fun."

Jisoo shook her head, laughing as Roseanne returned to the shoot. But her smile lingered, her thoughts swirling with everything they had talked about.

What Jisoo didn't realize was that someone else had been listening.

Jungkook had been passing by the lounge when he heard Jisoo's voice. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but the mention of Taehyung and her feelings stopped him in his tracks. Hidden just out of sight, he strained to hear every word.

Each sentence Jisoo spoke felt like a weight on his chest. Her voice was full of warmth and affection as she talked about Taehyung...the man Jungkook had spent months silently resenting. Hearing her talk about their growing bond, their shared future, made Jungkook feel like the ground was slipping out from under him.

He leaned against the wall, closing his eyes as he tried to steady his racing heart. He had always known Jisoo's marriage wasn't just a business arrangement anymore, but hearing her speak about Taehyung with such fondness made it real in a way he hadn't been prepared for.

"I should be happy for her," Jungkook whispered to himself, his voice trembling. "She deserves to be happy."

But no matter how much he told himself that, the pain didn't lessen. His feelings for Jisoo had been a constant, a quiet ache he had learned to live with. And now, hearing her talk about Taehyung, hearing the love in her voice...he realized just how deeply it hurt.

Taking a shaky breath, Jungkook pushed himself off the wall and walked away. His steps were heavy, his heart even heavier. He couldn't let his feelings affect their friendship. Jisoo's happiness was all that mattered.

But as he returned to his desk, the ache in his chest lingered, a silent reminder of the love he could never have.